LEAVING YOUR BODY MAP

Toby Driver is one of the most inventive and adventurous musicians at the moment in the post-metal scene. Maudlin of the Well is clearly less experimental than Kayo Dot, but the additions of avant-garde into the mixed style of death grunts and prog rock, is just amazing in the first one. So, in Kayo Dot you'll find the more experimental side of Toby Driver, instead, in Maudlin of the Well, you'll find a more accessible (relatively of course) style of music, but, not less good (in fact I do prefer Maudlin of the Well than Kayo Dot).

The opening track, Stones of October's Sobbing, combines some flute tunes, acoustic guitar and clarinet, followed close by the Toby Driver gruntings, so, at the fist 2 minutes of this song, you can imagine the very eclectic style of this band. The next one, Gleam in Ranks, is a very different track. Toby uses clean vocals, and a clear piano tone adorns the heavy-metal piece, finishing with scream singing. Very good rhythm. Bizarre Flower/A Violent Mist is a two part piece that features some more Doom (how I hate this word) rhythms, combined with the avant metal passages. I love the guitar solo segment here. A Curve That To An Angle Turn'd is a more mellow track, with acoustic guitar based work. Simply beautiful post-metal. Sleep is a Curse is a very special piece, featuring some mellow acoustic prog rock work, very nice. Riseth He is the main piece in the album. The introduction is simply smart, genius trumpet work, opening the heaviest track in the album. Monstrously Low Tide is the final track, which features again a very dense and slow passage which is great. There are some interlude tracks, featuring mainly acoustic works, that fit perfectly into the melt.

Along this album you'll find beautiful wind instruments tones, heavy guitar riffs (a-la Opeth) excellent and variate vocals (because you don't have just grunting here :-D), technical drumming, acoustic guitar-based works, and so many many elements that makes this album an accessible (relatively), eclectic and artistic masterpiece.

Five stars well earned, for this wonderful experience!!!!

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